On the Cosmological Constant in Pre-geometric Gravity

Abstract

We offer novel perspectives on the cosmological constant (CC) problem, aiming toward a potential solution that requires neither fine-tuning nor anthropic arguments. In pre-geometric gravity (PGG), spacetime emerges from the spontaneous breaking of a fundamental gauge symmetry. This mechanism dynamically generates general relativity while also revealing a deep connection: the topological Gauss-Bonnet coupling of the theory scales precisely as the de Sitter entropy, an enormous number which reflects the information content of our universe. This coupling acts as a gravitational $\theta$-angle parameter, forcing the CC to become quantized into discrete topological sectors. The symmetry-breaking dynamics naturally selects the sector corresponding to the observed vacuum energy. The selected vacuum state is stabilized by the extremely large potential barrier of the pre-geometric Higgs field, which effectively seals it off from quantum tunneling transitions to other topological sectors. The PGG framework could thus provide a dynamical explanation for the smallness of the CC, linking gravity, topology and quantum information in a unified picture.